Archive for April, 2008

The now

21 April, 2008 at 7:56 pm · Filed under thoughts ·Tagged , , ,

Everyone is talking about finishing up classes and graduation… of course, I still have forever and a day left until my last day of classes (May 13 + paper deadlines), but I’ve started the official graduation countdown (”The Final Countdown”) - 32 days.

I’m always thinking about my future/what will happen after graduation, but unfortunately I don’t have any answers right now. I have absolutely no clue what will happen after May 23rd. I still don’t have a post-graduation job; I don’t even have a part-time job to hold me over. Therefore, I’ve come to this conclusion:

On May 23, 2008 at approximately 6pm, I will be a bum.

The only deadline I will have after May 23rd is move out day, July 31, 2008. I guess that makes July 31st “Judgment Day”.

Anyway, since I’m incapable of thinking of any past 7.31, I figure I should focus on the present-day, the now. The pre-May 23rd; my pre-bum-ness. As I said earlier, I’ve started the countdown and it’s a little frightening because I have so, so, so much to get done before (an even earlier deadline) May 16th.

1. April 22: Lead class discussion (with Melissa) about school reform. Turn in 2000 word memo on hate crime legislation.

2. May 5: International Econ Policy take-home final is due

3. May 12: International Econ Policy 4 page (single-spaced) Colombia memo is due

4. May 13: The final 2000 word memo on hate crime legislation is due in my Equality class

5. May 14 or 21: International Development (IDEV) Econ 15 page (double-spaced, hopefully) paper on Brazil is due

6. May 15: My project course “thesis” is due. 20-25 pages (double-spaced). I have to also present my paper to a bunch of people who will probably tear me apart with questions that I won’t be able to answer. Excellent.

On the 16th, I’m leaving town to see my undergrad buddies graduate. I desperately hope to finish that IDEV Brazil memo on the 14th, but holy crap - I don’t know where the time to write these papers will come from in the next 3 weeks… Did I mention the fact that I probably won’t do anymore reading for my classes? Who has time for that anymore?

So yeah, it’s the final countdown, folks.

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I gotta go

20 April, 2008 at 6:41 pm · Filed under thoughts ·Tagged ,

I’m in serious need of a vacation (as Adam and Peter are well aware of). If I could choose any place on the planet to spend a week of my life, it would be Costa Rica.

Q: Why Costa Rica?

A: Well, there’s a story, but I don’t really feel like talking about it. It’s lame, trust me.

There’s an article I ripped out of Budget Magazine 2 years ago called Secret Hotels of Costa Rica and it gives a decent list of inexpensive places to stay on the Nicoya Peninsula. I want a cheap, but fantastically glorious trip.

I’d rather pitch a tent and sleep on the beach, but something tells me that might not be a good idea…

Q: What would I do while in Costa Rica?

A: That’s easy.

I’d climb a few of these…

Obviously, do a ton of this…

But most of all, watch lots of these…

And eventually I’d make my way inland towards San José to climb some mountains, see some nature and meet up with some urban folk.

I really need a break from everything I’ve been surrounded by for the past 6 years. No computer, no cell phone (except for emergencies)… Just my ipod, my camera and a positive attitude (and maybe my Spanish-English dictionary, just in case).

Q: Would you bring anyone else on this “escape from life” vacation?

A: I haven’t decided yet. Maybe my dog?

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I love Gene Kelly

19 April, 2008 at 11:57 pm · Filed under thoughts ·Tagged , ,

I love musicals. I especially love musicals with Gene Kelly (and Frank Sinatra). And I really love musicals with tap dancing.

Tonight I watched It’s Always Fair Weather, about 3 army guys who fought in WWI together and met up 10 years later, only to find out they hated each other. Of course, by the end of the movie they were BFFs again (I think all musicals have a happy ending). And as usual, Gene had his super awesome tap dancing number; this time, it was on ROLLER SKATES. Holy crap.

And while I’m posting Gene Kelly videos, here are more of my favorites:

This is from On the Town - my #2 favorite Kelly/Sinatra musical

OH MY GOSH - I LOVE this song. From Take Me Out to the Ball Game. How adorable is Sinatra?

This is one of my favorites from my favorite musical, Singin’ In the Rain

Okay, okay… I need to stop myself.

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when I get bored

19 April, 2008 at 11:34 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged , , , ,

If you couldn’t already tell, one of my favorite pastimes is exploring DC (and taking random pictures). Today was no exception - I was in the middle of writing a paper, then felt the urge to go to U Street.

By the way, I was just there last night. And last Thursday.

But first, I had to get some coffee from

Actually I wanted to come here to see a couple of ex-Murky Capitol Hillers, Anne (A-bo) and Reggie (they migrated here for jobs after Murky’s big seizure). Luckily I found Reggie, but no Anne.

After downing my iced latte and super delicious oatmeal raisin cookie (costing me over $5) in under 5 minutes, I made my way to U Street to 3 of my favorite stores in DC:

Go Mama Go!

Home Rule, and

Pulp (my favorite of the 3).

I absolutely love this store. It has the best variety of cards I’ve ever seen. They also have a lot of quirky things…

Yeah.

Despite my urge to buy these lovely Mexican wrestler heads, I left with only 2 cards.

And that was the end of my homework break.

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new places, old faces

19 April, 2008 at 1:28 am · Filed under thoughts ·Tagged , ,

***Side note: If Melissa reads this, I had a terrible time tonight and my food was disgusting. For all other readers, please disregard this side note.

Tonight, I had one of the best dinners I’ve ever had in DC. I blame Skewers… and Melissa’s birthday (the reason for our outing). Melissa gets an A+ for finding this place; there’s absolutely no way I would’ve discovered Skewers on my own. Middle Eastern food crosses my mind just about as much as the idea of staying at my current school to get a PhD… Anyway, after tonight, I will probably start to dream about Middle Eastern food - especially, what I ate:

deliciousness

For starters, this is not MY dinner. I was too busy stuffing my face to take a picture, but this picture (minus those pink thingys, plus a leg of lamb) is a close representation.

That’s what I ate, in words. I didn’t know what Biryani was before tonight, but I took a chance and it was amazing. Not too spicy and not at all bland. The veggies were tasty; It takes a very special dish for me to eat squash, cauliflower and/or zucchini. All of it was delicious, down to the very last grain of rice (kinda).

I’ll admit, the lamb could’ve been better seasoned, but that’s my one and only food related issue.

Also, I think this was the first time I’ve ever eaten hummus and enjoyed it. Congratulations to me (I’m looking forward to a hummus-filled future).

The service was okay. I’ve dealt with better.

And finally, the company was fun, of course. It’s always a good time hanging with the old roommates (474-7 HOLLA), old choir buddies/person I’ve known for half of my life (Yay for Jill) and friends of old roommates.

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One ticket to heaven, please

17 April, 2008 at 5:11 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged

that\'s my mass pass

Yeah, I got my ticket to heaven, the Mass Pass. Nine dollars of eternal life…

I was kinda hoping for a prettier card, but you just don’t question God. He does what He wants, you know.

***Side note: I didn’t just buy the mass pass - I used it too. I spent the day all over the DC metro area. It was great. I’m glad the weather wasn’t cold and rainy like my last DC adventure.

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Am I too awesome?

16 April, 2008 at 10:29 am · Filed under thoughts ·Tagged

Yesterday, I found a rather unsettling article from my cousin’s blog (Hey Allison!)… I’m not sure what I think about this newfound information.

Too Successful for a Mate?

I’ll admit - I’m single. And you know what? I’m okay with that, for now. With school constantly sucking the life out of me, I don’t have much brain space to think about guys and relationships and such.

*** Side note: The fact that I live in an apartment with two other girls who are currently engaged (they were engaged within 2 weeks of each other) and go to school with people who are either married or in serious relationships makes me think about my single-ness more than I normally would. I don’t let the fact that I’m the odd-ball bother me, though; I’m also younger than most of my peers.

But after reading this article, I feel like I’m doomed. Do men really feel intimidated by smart women? What on earth am I supposed to do with that? There’s no way I plan on dumbing myself down in order to find a future mate… nor do I suggest any woman actually go that far.

On the other hand, I sometimes feel like I’m a little too picky about men. THANK GOD for this quiz (Where would I be without quizzes to dictate my life for me? Haha…). Here are my results:

Question: Are you too picky about men?

Answer: Realistic - You are neither too picky nor too indiscriminate — in fact, your unhappily married friends secretly envy you. Don’t lower your (already very reasonable) standards, and keep your head up. Remember that there are no such things as “soul mates” — there are just two people who want the same things at the same time. It might take longer than you’d hoped, but if you keep on rolling the dice and stick to your quality standards, you’ll find what you’re looking for. You’re already complete by yourself.

Okay. I can live with that answer.

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I’m not Catholic, but…

15 April, 2008 at 9:26 pm · Filed under thoughts ·Tagged , ,

So, the Pope is in DC RIGHT NOW.

And where am I now? At my desk, writing this silly post.

Where should I be? Wandering DC in search of the Pope, of course.

I understand it’s weird that I’m thinking about this, but I still think the guy is a big deal. I was in Europe during the whole “search for the new Pope” showdown. I could’ve passed by Pope Benedict XVI while I was visiting the Vatican in March 2005. WHAT IF I DID?! What if…?

Anyway, I’m not a crazy Pope supporter wannabe. I just think it’s cool that the Pope is here in DC, and this will probably be the only opportunity I get to see him (in the United States). Plus, the metro is selling a “Mass Pass” - a day pass for riding the metro on April 17, 2008. I gotta get my hands on one of those. It’s a MASS PASS; it sounds like a ticket straight to Heaven. $9 is a very small price to pay for something of that magnitude.

I think we all could use one of those…

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how did it go?

14 April, 2008 at 6:39 pm · Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged ,

Well, my presentation went okay. A few things actually worked in my favor:

- I had something to lean against, which minimized the rocking

- I remembered to look at my notes; however, I skipped a lot of things I wrote on them

- I didn’t ramble

People asked questions, which shows that people cared enough to listen (yay), but I didn’t have many answers. Oh well. It’s done.

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my 2nd to last school presentation - ever

14 April, 2008 at 1:58 pm · Filed under thoughts ·Tagged ,

Usually, me and presentations don’t get along.

(not-so) Luckily for me, I have to present my powerpoint on Colombia’s economy this afternoon for my international economic policy class.

I never get nervous until the moment I start talking. Then things start going sour…
1. I start talking with my hands.

2. My voice shakes - a lot. I mean, a lot.

3. If I have papers or note cards in my hands, I NEVER look at them. I have no idea why, especially since I took the time to write out notes to prevent #2 from happening. Rather than read the papers, I roll them up and wave them around as I talk with my hands.

4. I ramble. God knows why. Everything I need to say is either on the slide or in my rolled up papers, but I find a way to talk about the most obscure stuff.

5. I rock. As in, I’m incapable of standing still while I talk. I understand it’s very distracting, but I can’t help it - especially when I don’t have anything to lean up against.

On that note, good luck to me. I need to go first (only 2 of us are presenting today) for my own sanity. Then I need to get rid of this insanity before my final presentation on May 15th.

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